Hope for Tomorrow Virtual Mental Health Fair Press Release 2

Hope for Tomorrow Virtual Mental Health Fair Press Release 2

February 8, 2021

For Immediate Release

BoroSAFE, Hillsborough’s community organization dedicated to mental health awareness and suicide prevention, will sponsor Hope for Tomorrow, its first Virtual Mental Health Fair on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 from 6:30-8:00 PM. The event organizers are thrilled with the outpouring of support from local mental health professionals and agencies that have offered to present workshops, as well as from local business owners that have donated gift cards which will be used as prizes for a trivia game during the evening. 

Although the past two Hope for Tomorrow events were in-person mental health fairs created and sponsored by the staff at Woods Road Elementary School, this year BoroSAFE is optimistic that a virtual format will safely deliver a wealth of much-needed information to families on many aspects of wellness during this extremely stressful period. 

The program will begin with a few words about Hillsborough’s commitment to mental health by Dr. Lisa Antunes, Superintendent of Schools, who recently underwent training as a mental health first aid responder. Hillsborough was also designated as a “Stigma-Free Community” by the Township Committee in October, 2020 to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and create an environment where people can feel free to seek support without fear of being stigmatized. 

BoroSAFE is excited to kick off the event with a nationally recognized keynote speaker from Minding Your Mind, an organization dedicated to ending stigma associated with mental health issues. Jordan has been sharing his story and advocating for mental health awareness for the last 8 years, across 32 different states and 3 different countries. He will share his powerful story of fighting depression, surviving a suicide attempt and finding recovery. His is a story of resilience and hope that beautifully exemplifies the theme of the evening - that there is always “Hope for Tomorrow.” 

Following the keynote speaker, participants will have the opportunity to choose two 20 minute breakout sessions from a selection of 16 topics, including self-care strategies such as mindfulness, meditation, the power of positive affirmations and the effects of nutritious food on the body and mind. Other breakout sessions offered by local therapists will focus on parenting issues such as “Improving communication between parents and kids” presented by Meredith Keller, and “Strategies for dealing with the impact of quarantine on the mental health of kids and teens” by John Mopper of Blueprint Mental Health. Presentations on specific mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and suicidal behavior will be offered by clinical social workers, including Guy Iacono of Minding Your Mind. 

Families with younger children may enjoy a special children’s story about “Penelope the Powerful Parrot,” or learning about the positive impact of pets on wellness from St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center. Students of all ages may benefit from a presentation by High Focus Centers on setting themselves up for success during hybrid learning. Several breakout sessions will address the needs of specific populations such as the LGBTQ community and sexual assault survivors. NJ Hope and Healing, a grant program at Richard Hall Community Health Center, will offer several sessions including an overview of their services, a group for women on resilience, and dealing with disaster and recovery. 

The evening will wrap up with a trivia game with prizes that include gift cards to local businesses, including Bella Pizza, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Angelo’s Pizza, Heavenly Sweets, Impact Fitness, Newell Strength and more. 

All are welcome to attend, and by coming together as a community, the stigma and silence surrounding these “unspeakable” topics can be broken. As expressed by Chad Berman,

co-chair of BoroSAFE, "Born out of tragedy but eternally optimistic, Hope for Tomorrow is a heartfelt tribute to the importance of mental health and suicide prevention awareness. BoroSAFE is proud and humbled to continue the tradition of such an uplifting and powerful community event.” 

The most important takeaway can be summarized by BoroSAFE’s mission: “Wellness for Today, Hope for Tomorrow, Suicide is Preventable.” There is no charge to participate. Registration is encouraged using this link: Hope for Tomorrow Registration. For more information, contact: Anna Mahler at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.